Rotary and vertically movable drum for can sealing machines



April 1, 1947. R. G. BACH ETAL 2,418,328.

ROTARY AND VERTICALLY MOVABLE DRUM FOR CAN SEALING MACHINES Filed Sept. 21, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 1, 1947. 2,418,328

ROTARY AND VERTICALLY MOVABLE DRUM FOR CAN SEALING MACHINES R. G. BACH ET AL Filed Sept. 21, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 1, 1947 ROTARY AND VERTICALLY MOVABLE DRUM FOR CAN SEALING MACHINES Robert George Bach, Grifiithstown, England, and John Roy Paton, Lisvane. Wales Application September 21, 1944, Serial No. 555,122

In Great Britain September 30, 1943 i 6 Claims. 1

The invention relates toimprovements in machines for seaming cans.

It is an object of the invention to provide an automatically effective apparatus for hermetically applying lids to cans and to perform this operation in rapid sequence successively on cans.

Another object of the invention is to control the seaming operation by rendering it dependent upon the approach of a can to position for sealme.

It is, furthermore, an object of the invention to assure the proper positioning of the can to be sealed with respect to the cover or lid to be applied thereto and to locate for this purpose the carrier of the can in an accurately determined position when the can supported by the carrier reaches the position for operation.

With these and numerous other objects in view, an embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing to which reference is made in the following specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a seam applying machine to which the filled cans are successively conveyed.

Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation illustrating the means for accurately determining the position of the carrier for the seaming operation;

Fig. 3 is a detail and side elevation showing the control of the carrier for moving to and withdrawing from the seaming position.

Fig. 4 shows partly in elevation and partly in section the seaming head and seaming rollers.

The vacuum double seamer apparatus, shown more particularly in Figs. 1 to 4, comprises a closed hollow pedestal casting 48 which acts not i only as what may be termed the body structure of the machine, but also as a vacuum receiver. This air-tight foundation casting has associated therewith a seaming head mechanism 49, a vacuum pump 50, a, motor 5| to operate both these latter, and the step-by-step rotated receiving member 52. i

This receiving and feeding member 52 is in the form of a drum mounted on a horizontal axis 53 and having on the exterior a plurality of fiat surfaces 54 with recesses 55 (for example thirteen as shown). Each of the recesses 55 is adapted to receive as it comes round to a certain stopping position, say and as shown the oclock position, from a pivoted guide 56 and assisted by the sweeping action of the operators hand, a loosely lidded filled can 51 in such a manner that the 2 upper lidded end projects as shown in Fig. l to a desired extent from its flat surface 54.

The more or less fixed end of the pivoted guide 56 forms a continuation from a conveyor leading from the inspection and lidding position for the cans, not shown. The spindle 53 of the drum 52 is supported by bracket bearings 58 which are mounted to slide vertically in a guideway 59 attached to the main frame 48 and connected by links 60 to extensions of the pivoted guide 56. 6| is a seat for an operatorand 62 a foot pedal at one end of anarm of a two-armed lever the other arm 53 of which takes beneath a roller 64 in connection with the vertically sliding bracket bearings 58, to raise the drum 52 upon the depression of the pedal 62.

65 is a, bracket connecting the guide 55 to the framework of the machine and this bracket also forms the foundation for the end of a rod 65 having mounted therearound a compression. spring 61 the upper end of which spring takes beneath the guide 56. B8 is a hand wheel having a screwed bore mounted to work upon the screwed lower end of the rod 65 to adjust the compression of the spring 51.

The action of this part of the mechanism is such that when the pedal 62 is depressed, the

drum 52 is raised to bring the can 51 which is .in the uppermost position into operative engagement with the vacuum double seamer mechanism as shown in Fig. 4 and more fully described hereafter. As will be understood, the spring 61 to a large extent compensates for the weight of the drum 52 and cans carried thereby and is so adjusted that only a slight pedal effort is necessary to raise the drum but assuring that when the effort is finished, the drum drops by its own weight.

In Fig. 1 the drum 52 is shown in its lowermost position. Raising takes place in two stages and Fig. 4 shows an enlarged View partly in section of the drum 52 raised through the first stage and ready to be raised through the second stage.

As will be seen from Fig. 4, the seaming head 49 has projecting from the under side thereof a circular vertically movable valve I0! normally pressed downwards by compression springs I02. This valve has a rubber sealing gasket I03 against which the particular fiat surface 54 of the drum 52 which is in position makes contact in the first stage of the upward movement of the drum.

The valve IUI has an aperture I04 with suflicient clearance .to permit the can with the extended flanges of the lid and body readily to pass therethrough as shown.

Laterally, the side walls of the valve IUI fit so as to slide vertically in the interior section of the lower part of the seaming head 49 and these walls have therein two slots, namely I termed the atmospheric port slot and I06 termed the vacuum port slot the latter of which comes a desiredvertical distancev above the former.

In the chamber of the seaming head 49' there is a lower port ID! to atmosphere and an upper port I08 to the vacuum receiver or chest 43; These two ports co-operate with the ports IE5 and I06 of the valve IlH so that in' the lower position of the said valve'the atmospheric port slot I95 thereof coincides-with the portlfi'l to atmosphere and consequently the interior of the head 49 is in that case open' to atmosphere, it being observed that in this positionthe vacuum port slot I06 has not yet risen high enough to communicate with the port I08 to the vacuum receiver.

In the first stage of the rising movement and as shown in the drawing (Fig. 4), the atmospheric port slot I05 is in communication with the port H]? to atmosphere and thereafter when the drum 52 is lifted through the second stage, the springs I92 are compressed, the gasket I03 seals the interior of the head 39 from the atmosphere, the port )5 ceases to communicate with the port I 01, and the port I06 communicates with the port [@8. Thus the interior of the head 49 is placed in communication with the vacuum chest to exhaust air from the chamber 4 9 and from the interior of the particular filled and loosely lidded can which is in in position.

IE9 is a central fixedseaming chuck the lower member H9 of which is disposed and shaped to engage by its disposition and profile the recessed portion of the lid definitely to hold this in position onits can under slight pressure. Thus held,

.the seaming rollers I H operate upon the flanges to effect thedouble seaming to bring these flanges into the condition such for example as shown in Fig. 13 of our co-pending application Serial .No; 555,123.

After the can in the raised position has been exhausted andse'aled, the drum 52' is allowed to :return to its -lower position and this automatically causes itto' be indexed on one step by the mechanism indicated in Fig. 2 which. shows a fragmentary side elevation of the drum andcert'ain c'o-operating parts which not only effect'tiie indexing of the drum but" also its accurate registration in the stopping position. and when it is is the fulllineipositionshown'in Fig. 2) one of the; shaped projections ,69 enters the channel of the abutment'l'l (as'shown inthefdrawing) and =this acts to register the'drum and the uppermost can in. the correct position. When in this position the flap m, which is blessed, falls over to the dotted position shown in Fig; 2. As a consequence, when the. drum. is lowered, the uppermost projection 69. rides on the' surface of the flap to assist in the rotation of the drum through a desired angle, any turning back being stopped byt-he pawland ratchet T2, the amount of ang'ular movement being limitedfby the next projec-- tion 69 again bringing the flap 0 to its upright position, as will be seen from Fig. 2 where one of the projections 69 (which is shown dotted and indicates the lower position of the drum) has come into this relationship with the fiap 10.

When the process according to the invention is in operation; theseaming head mechanism 49 and the pump 58 will berunning continuously and a suitably located and driven interrupter cam (shown in Fig. 3 and its general position indicatedby 13, Fig. 1) is provided, which will only allow the drum 52 to rise and enter the unseamed loosely lidded filled can body into positi'on, whilst the seaming rolls of the seaming head mechanism (not shown) are at their most outward and clear point of travel. In Fig. 3, 58 isone of the bracket bearings for the drum, a linked arm 14 of which having a follower 15, co-operates with a grooved cam 16 driven by a shaft from the motor 5| through worm and worm wheel mechanism TI. This cam is'of such nature that the fOHOWGI'QTBT'WhBII raised. by the upward movement of the bracket 58 stops the rise of the drum until the entry point ill of the cam groove is attained, which is so set that this coincides with the requiredposition of the seaming rolls. The cam serves also to hold the drum in the upper position during the seaming operation and assists by its portion 19 in effecting the lowering and indexing movements of the drum.

It will 'beunderstood that the filled can which has been exhausted and seamed, and indexed through one position on the lowering of the drum, remains in its recess 55 until by continuous indexing movements of the drum it. is=tipped out on to a conveyor 80, Fig. 1. It passes thereon by gravity or otherwise either directly to the oven (if it is not to be lacquered) or else tothe lacquer..- ing bath not shown.

The invention is not limited to the precise forms or details of construction herein. described, as these may be varied to suit particular requirements.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America is:"

1. In a vacuum double seamer for exhausting and seaming cans, the combination comprising a base forming a vacuum reservoir, a vacuum seaming mechanism, a vacuum pump, a multifaced drum rotatably supported by said base, each face of said drum being provided with means for receiving a filled and loosely lidded can, manually operable means for raising said drum soas to present a can on a face'thereof to saidseaming ing mechanism, a vacuum. pump, a. multiiaceddrum rotatab-ly supported by said base, each face of said drum being provided with meansfor receiving a filled and loosely lidded can, manually operable means for raising said drum soas to,

present a can on a face thereof to said seaming mechanism, means for causing said drum. to retate one step in one direction when said drum 4 descends from its-raised position to bring the can on the next face of the drum in position tobe presented to the seaming mechanism, means for preventing said drum from rotating in the opposite direction, a motor for driving said pump and operating said seaming mechanism, and nieans controlled by said motor for preventing the raising of said drum by said manually operable means until said seaming mechanism is in position to properly engage the can for the seaming operation.

3. In a vacuum double seamer for exhausting and seaming cans, the combination comprising a base forming a vacuum reservoir, a vacuum seaming mechanism, a vacuum pump, a multifaced drum rotatably supported by said base, each face of said drum being provided with means for receiving a filled and loosely lidded can, manually operable means for raising said drum so as to present a can on a face thereof to said seaming mechanism, means for causing said drum to rotate one step in one direction when said drum descends from its raised position to bring the can on the next face of the drum in position to be presented to the seaming mechanism, means for preventing said drum from rotating in the opposite direction, a motor for driving said pump and operating said seaming mechanism, and means controlled by said motor for preventing the raising of said drum by said manually operable means until said seaming mechanism is in position to properly engage the can for the seaming operation, said last named means including a cam rotated continuously by said motor, and a cam follower associated with said drum, said cam after the completion of the seaming of the can being effective to assist in rotating said drum in said one direction during the descending movement I of the drum.

4. In a vacuum double seamer for exhausting and seaming cans, the combination comprising a base forming a vacuum reservoir, a vacuum seaming mechanism on top of said base, a vacuum pump, vertically slidable bearings on said base, a multifaced drum rotatably mounted in said bearings, each face of said drum having a cavity for receiving therein a filled and loosely lidded can, manually operable means, including a foot pedal, for raising said bearings and therewith said drum to present the latter to the seaming mechanism, a motor for driving said pump and operating said seaming mechanism, and means controlled by said motor for preventing the raising of said drum by said manually operable means until said seaming mechanism is in position to properly engage the can for the seaming operation, said last named means ineluding a cam rotated continuously by said motor and a cam follower attached to one of said bearings, said cam controlling the raising of said drum with respect to the operation of said seaming mechanism.

5. In a vacuum double seamer as claimed in claim 1, in which said seaming mechanism includes a seaming head provided in its interior with seaming rollers for engaging the rims of the lid and can to seam them together, and including a valve fitting on said seaming head and surrounding the can on the face of the drum which presents said can to the seaming mechanism, said valve fitting in the raised position of said drum engaging sealingly the face of the drum directly below the seaming head, and means controlled by the movement of the drum into engagement with said valve fitting for bringing the interior of the seaming head into communication with said vacuum reservoir, whereby the air is exhausted from the space within which the can is sea-med.

6. In a vacuum double seamer for exhausting and seaming cans as claimed in claim 1, in which said seaming mechanism includes a seaming head and a valve fitting mounted for axial sliding movement thereon, said valve fitting having an aperture for admitting a can positioned on a face of said drum, means on said valve fitting for establishing a seal around said aperture and a face of the drum, when said drum is raised, said seaming head and said valve fitting having 00- operating orts normally out of registration with each other, said ports in the raised position of said drum are being moved into registration with each other owing to a sliding movement of said valve fitting caused by said drum, and thereby establishing communication of the interior of said seaming head with said vacuum reservoir so as to exhaust the atmospheric air from the can in said sealing head.

ROBERT GEORGE BACH. JOHN ROY PATON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,232,282 Struble Feb. 18, 1941 2,303,422 Ball Dec. 1, 1942 1,878,025 Thompson Sept. 29, 1932 1,068,565 Cerruti July 29, 1913 1,893,716 Ronzone Jan. 10, 1933 

